Bringing Community Back To Banning 'Commuter Town:' Patch Local Heroes

BANNING, CA— When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from Audrey Bonner who nominated Amber Beria Devers of Banning-Beaumont.

Local hero’s full name

Amber Beria Devers

Local hero’s home state

California

Local hero’s Patch

Banning-Beaumont

How do you know the local hero?

Sister

What does the local hero do?

Teacher

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

Amber has a magnetic personality. She is so kind and friendly. She genuinely cares about her students, families and literally everyone. She always had a smile and a kind word for everyone she encounters, at work and around town.

She takes on the role of mentor and friend to her students, taking a personal interest in their well-being and education. She always does more than is expected.

When I meet a student of hers, they always tell me what a great teacher she was to them and talk about the positive influence she has been in their lives, and often credit her with being the reason they are moving in a positive direction in their lives (going to college, pursuing their goals, moving out of a bad situation to seek a better life, the reason they know what manners are or that they should not be swearing all the time etc). She is there being a positive influence when her students may not have positive role models in their lives. Her moral compass points true North, and she encourages those around her to do the same.

Around town, her friendly smile and kind words take people by pleasant surprise as she recognizes workers and strangers on a personal level, and you can see how this simple action brightens their day. She brings back the feeling of community, something our town has been lacking since it has become a “commuter town.”

In a world where neighbors no longer endeavor to know each other, Amber brings back the nostalgic sense of community many of us grew up with. She makes that extra effort to care about the people she encounters- her students, colleagues and even strangers. She is an everyday hero.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

She is a real person with a genuine desire to be personable and make others know that they matter and that they can have goals and can accomplish them. She is a genuinely positive person.

Thank you for all you do, Amber Beria Devers!

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.

Know someone making a difference in town? Nominate them as a local hero here.